Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Development and Implementation of a Multi-Disciplinary Technology Enhanced Care Pathway for Youth and Adults with Concussion
Published on: January 20, 2019
Injury prevention priority score: a new method for trauma centers to prioritize injury prevention initiatives
Adil H Haider1, Donald A Risucci, Saad Bin Omer
1Department of Surgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA. ahaider@jhsph.edu
Insights
A new Injury Prevention Priority Score (IPPS) helps trauma centers prioritize injury prevention. This objective tool balances injury frequency and severity to tailor local public health initiatives effectively.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Trauma Research
- Public Health Policy
- Injury Prevention Science
Background:
- Trauma centers require effective injury prevention programs tailored to local populations.
- A simple, objective, and quantitative method is needed to prioritize injury prevention initiatives based on injury frequency and severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate an Injury Prevention Priority Score (IPPS) for prioritizing local injury prevention initiatives.
- To assess the utility of IPPS in balancing injury frequency and severity for targeted interventions.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed pediatric trauma patient data (n=7,958) from two Level I trauma centers (1993-1999).
- Grouped injuries by causal mechanism using ICD-9 external cause codes.
- Calculated and ranked Injury Prevention Priority Scores (IPPS) based on Injury Severity Score and frequency.
Main Results:
- IPPS-based injury prevention priorities varied between the two trauma centers.
- Motor vehicle crashes and pedestrian-vehicle incidents were leading causes; child abuse was a key priority for infants.
- The IPPS demonstrated stability across different measures of injury severity.
Conclusions:
- The Injury Prevention Priority Score (IPPS) is a practical, objective tool for trauma registries.
- IPPS effectively ranks injury causes by frequency and severity, aiding in local program development.
- Center-specific and age-group variations highlight IPPS's role in tailoring injury prevention strategies.
Background:
Trauma centers are expected to develop injury prevention programs that address needs of the local population. A relatively simple, objective, and quantitative method is needed for prioritizing local injury prevention initiatives based on both injury frequency and severity.
Study Design:
Pediatric trauma patients (16 years or younger; n= 7,958) admitted to two Level I regional trauma centers (Johns Hopkins Children Center and Westchester Medical Center) from 1993 to 1999 were grouped by injury causal mechanism according to ICD-9 external cause codes. An Injury Prevention Priority Score (IPPS), balancing the influences of severity (based on the Injury Severity Score) and frequency, was calculated for each mechanism and mechanisms were ranked accordingly.
Results:
IPPS-based rank lists differed across centers. The highest ranked mechanism of injury among children presenting to Johns Hopkins Children Center was "pedestrian struck by motor vehicle," and at Westchester Medical Center it was "motor vehicle crash." Different age groups also had specific injury prevention priorities, eg, "child abuse" was ranked second highest among infants at both centers. IPPS was found to be stable (r = 0.82 to 0.93, p < 0.05) across alternate measures of injury severity.
Conclusions:
IPPS is a relatively simple and objective tool that uses data available in trauma center registries to rank injury causes according to both frequency and severity. Differences between two centers and across age groups suggest IPPS may be useful in tailoring injury prevention programs to local population needs.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services